Peralta continues to impress vs. lefties

PHOENIX -- With outfielder Ender Inciarte on the disabled list, the D-backs have given David Peralta a chance to start against left-handed pitchers, and so far he's making the most of that opportunity.

Peralta's two-run triple in the sixth inning off lefty Chris Rushin helped propel the D-backs to an 8-1 victory over the Rockies on Thursday night at Chase Field.

PHOENIX -- With outfielder Ender Inciarte on the disabled list, the D-backs have given David Peralta a chance to start against left-handed pitchers, and so far he's making the most of that opportunity.

Peralta's two-run triple in the sixth inning off lefty Chris Rushin helped propel the D-backs to an 8-1 victory over the Rockies on Thursday night at Chase Field.

"I got the opportunity to help the team to get the lead, so I was real patient at home plate just waiting for a good pitch," Peralta said.

Last season Peralta made his Major League debut after taking a winding path that included time as a pitcher, three years away from the game and a stint in independent ball, where he converted to the outfield.

Peralta impressed the D-backs with a .286 batting average and .770 on-base plus slugging, but there was one issue -- the lefty swinger had a hard time against left-handed pitching.

Peralta hit .197 against lefties last year, as opposed to .312 when facing righties, and he went to Venezuela in the winter to try and get as many at-bats against lefties as he could.

"That's why I went right away after the season to play over there because I knew I was going to face a lot of lefties over there," he said. "I hit pretty well over there so here I am, just trying to do my best."

When this season began, Peralta and Inciarte split time in left field with Inciarte getting the time against lefties even though he is a left-handed hitter. Left with no other option after Inciarte's injury, D-backs manager Chip Hale has allowed Peralta to face left-handers and he's responded by collecting seven hits in his last 16 at-bats against them.

"He's done a great job and like we talked about before, he's worked on that," Hale said. "He worked on it in winter ball and he was expecting to get playing time against lefties and I think he was a little disappointed he wasn't, so he's proven to me he deserves to play against some lefties. So when Ender comes back, he'll still get his at-bats against certain lefties."

For Peralta, seeing more lefties has allowed him to hit them better.

"The more I face lefties, or anybody faces lefties the more you're going to get better," he said. "So I've gotten the opportunity to start against lefties and have been seeing the ball really well so I'm just going to keep taking advantage of the opportunity the manager gives to me."